EmuParadise ROM Site Shuts Down After Nearly Two Decades Following Nintendo Legal Actions
If you are holding a drink in your hand, pour one out for EmuParadise, a massively popular retro gaming website and previously one of the biggest resources for game ROMs. Why do we say "previously?" Unfortunately, "EmuParaside is changing," the company states on its website, and it is changing by removing all ROM links to avoid potential legal action.
"It's not worth it for us to risk potentially disastrous consequences. I cannot in good conscience risk the futures of our team members who have contributed to the site through the years. We run EmuParadise for the love of retro games and for you to be able to revisit those good times. Unfortunately, it's not possible right now to do so in a way that makes everyone happy and keeps us out of trouble," EmuParadise states.
EmuParadise is changing! And we have decided to make a new start: https://t.co/078kKOnoKg Thank you for supporting us through this journey! <3 pic.twitter.com/8zBvLftYMk
— EmuParadise (@emuparadise) August 8, 2018
While never specifically mentioned, the recent legal actions by Nintendo against two other prominent ROM sites, LoveROMS.com and LoveRETRO.co, undoubtedly lead to EmuParadise's decision to change the way it operates. This is alluded into the opening paragraph in EmuParadise's statement.
"Many of you are aware that the situation with regards to emulation sites has been changing recently. What you probably don't know is that we at EmuParadise have been dealing with similar issues for all 18 years of our existence," EmuParadise says.
Throughout the site's nearly two decades of existence, it has received (and complied with) takedown requests, been the recipient of threatening letters, and had hosts abruptly shut down its servers. What is different now is that Nintendo is wielding a heavy legal hammer and is actively looking to smash ROM sites with it.
In two other lawsuits, Nintendo is not just content to see the sites shut down, it is also seeking $150,000 per infringing game, and up to $2 million for each trademark infringement. EmuParadise is trying to avoid that kind of scenario.
Whether Nintendo goes after EmuParadise anyway remains to be seen. Either way, retro gamers and the ROM community just lost a major resource for distributing ROMs.
